By Expeditions Engineer - Blair Coburn Posted 17th Oct 2017There's no way to describe India in one sentence, no matter how many times we travel this incredible country. Rich in history and culture, a spiritual land of astonishing temples, ancient palaces & forts, vibrant spice markets, stunning landscapes, the smells and sounds of bustling streets, warm smiles and mouthwatering cuisine. If “variety is the spice of life", India is the dish for you.
Incredible India - There are just not enough adjectives
People have a vision of travelling through India. Hot, dirty, chaotic, colourful, confusing, disorientating, intense, stressful. You can pick your own selection of adjectives! Yet whatever you can say about India, the opposite is also true. Our India is also relaxing, refreshing, stunning, sophisticated, interesting and educational. A refined adventure. A country that offers so much to so many and travel here can be truly transformative.
Why Ride India?
Unquestionably, cycling through a country is the best way to really experience it, but experiencing all that India is can be overwhelming, to say the least. So Grasshopper has designed an Indian tour that tailors especially to our guests. We have set out to remove the stress and disorder that can be part of travelling in India. Leaving you to enjoy the colour and life of this vibrant country, to marvel at its chaos but not get caught up in it. A well-designed itinerary to expose you the full range of experiences India has to offer, but not to overwhelm you. A well-balanced trip of every day adventures with comfortable accommodation.
Rajasthan - The Land of Kings
We have chosen Rajasthan. Located in the North West of the country, it is the largest state in India, known as the “Land of Kings”, famed for its incredibly rich history, beautiful and unique cities, palaces and forts. The region is conveniently close to the capital Delhi and is a very tourist friendly destination. We have scheduled our tour over the winter as Rajasthan is mostly desert and mountains, which can get uncomfortably hot in the summer months, but the new year period is sunny, mild, and perfect for cycling. This milder weather gives Rajasthan the opportunity to grow a unique selection of spices, herbs and vegetables making the rich flavours of their local cuisine coveted around the world.
The 'Blue City' - Jodhpur
We create variety in our itinerary through mixing beautifully serene, palace locations with the life and hustle of some carefully selected cities. Exploring Jodhpur, we look down on the old city, with its warren of blue painted streets and alleyways from high up on the parapets of the imposing rock fortress of Mehrangarh. We also relax and gaze across the waters of the stunning lake city of Udaipur, with its island and lakeside palaces, heavenly, floating in the mirrored reflections of Lake Pichola.
Udaipur - The Lake City
You will spend the majority of the tour cycling the ancient caravan routes used by Rajput and Marwari traders over the centuries to link the many kingdoms throughout the region. Now these routes are quiet back-roads that lead to remote hamlets that echo their former greatness only through an incredible palace or fort, left standing alone like an oasis in the vast expanse of the Thar desert. Cycling through the rural Rajasthan is surprisingly comfortable, on quite, tarmac roads. The traffic we do come across is very likely to stop and say hello, most of the congestion in this area is caused by the ubiquitous ‘sacred’ cow.
Historic Splendour & Comfort
Khimsar Fort - A 16th Century Fort perched on the edge of the Thar Desert
After the days ride is complete, we relax like the Rajput Royalty of old Rajasthan. In luxury hotels, most of which have been stately heritage homes, palaces and fortresses restored to the glory of a bygone era. The tour is fully vehicle supported throughout, with a seat on a van to rest your legs at any point along your ride. To help us guarantee quality in this land of the unpredictable, you will be joined by our resident Expedition Engineer working alongside an expert guide team, to smooth out any unforeseen bumps along the way.
This is India! the land of dreams and romance, of fabulous wealth and fabulous poverty, of splendor and rags, of palaces and hovels, of famine and pestilence, of genii and giants and Aladdin lamps, of tigers and elephants, the cobra and the jungle, the country of a hundred nations and a hundred tongues, of a thousand religions and two million gods, cradle of the human race, birthplace of human speech, mother of history, grandmother of legend, great-grandmother of tradition, whose yesterdays bear date with the mouldering antiquities of the rest of the nations
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